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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · bowl · nail · rush · jam · straw · firm · prune

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — decided
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. firm — steady
  19. prune — to trim
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. firm — a company
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com